Did you know that bunnies get bored easily & if bored for long periods, they can become disruptive or depressed. Keeping their minds active & keeping them busy keeps them happy & healthy. The good news is, it’s very easy to keep your rabbit entertained. Here we have lots of great boredom busting ideas to help keep bunny boredom at bay.
##Make feeding time fun!
###Scatter their food!
Rather than place their food down in one place, try scattering it about their enclosure. Rabbits are natural foragers and this will encourage natural behaviour, it will keep them active and stop them eating their food up all in one go.
###Break up the treats!
Depending on what the treat is, if you can, break it up into two or three bits and scatter about. Fenugreek crunches are great for this. Your bunny will enjoy finding the bits of treat and they will think they have had more treats than usual too!
###Split the evening feed in two!
Rabbits are usually active until around 12 – 1am. So if you usually feed them around 6pm, try putting a little aside and save this until a couple of hours later. They will soon get used to this and be waiting, which gives them a extra little something to look forward to, rather than having their food all in one go.
##Think simple toys, simple ideas!
###Create fun hay racks!
Don’t just stick to one hay rack, get creative and create a few different ones. They will see them as toys and this can encourage them to eat more hay.
Use a small box, create a hole in one side of the box and stuff with hay. Or use an old tissue box. Your rabbit will love pulling strands of hay out of it and also nudging the box around too.
Use a food whisk and stuff with hay, then use a keyring clamp to attach this somewhere in their enclosure. You can place it quite high up, as they will enjoy stretching up to it.
Use a jumbo bulldog clip and clamp a large ball of hay into it. Use a keyring clamp to attach this somewhere in their enclosure.
###Create new play areas!
Move their items in their home around on a regular basis, and watch how much they love to investigate what you have done.
Split their toys into two groups and alternate regularly. This will make them believe they have brand news toys to play with.
### Don’t just throw toys on the floor!
Try attaching rabbit friendly chew toys to the side of their enclosure & you may find they will enjoy chewing it more if it’s secure, rather than left on the floor. Attach it at a height to encourage them to stretch up to it.
Stuff hay in wicker chew toys or small wicker tunnels & hang them up, to add extra interest.
##Create fun games!
Use baby stacking cups and place some food or treats underneath them.
Or create this easy game in seconds…
##Create toys that make noise!
Bunnies love to make noise with their toys!
Give them something as simple as a plastic pop bottle with a few stones in. Rolling this about will create noise for them to enjoy, or buy them metal or hard plastic balls with bells in.
##Create toys for them to make mess!
Bunnies love to dig and if you don’t mind the mess, then simply let them go to town on litter trays or plant pots full of soil. They will have a great time digging up that dirt! Or give them a sand pit to play in (always use child-friendly sand)!
##Throw in a blanket!
They will love to scratch at or rearrange the blanket around their enclosure.
Always observe them to check they do not chew it. If they are a chewer, remove it.
##Recreate the toys you buy
When you buy your bunny a toy, see if you can recreate it in a different way to add additional interest.
For example… our bunnies love the Rosewood Carrot cottage. Designed to be a stand up cottage, we sometimes turn it upside down & the bunnies love nothing more than to sit in it, to demolish the sides!
For some UK Bunny boredom busting toys click here
For some US Bunny boredom busting toys click here
For more bunny boredom busting ideas click here
